San Luis
San Luis (officially the Ciudad Autónoma de San Luis) is the capital and largest city of Prasia, with a population of approximately 350,000. San Luis is the political and cultural capital of Prasia and is home to many governmental buildings. San Luis was founded in 1537 by Spanish colonists and grew in size as it became a major port on trade routes between South America, Asia and North America. In 1823, when Prasia gained independence from Spain, San Luis became the national capital. San Luis is a popular tourist destination and has a rich cultural life and is also a hub of business and education within Prasia, with several higher education institutions serving the city. The architecture of the city is mainly colonial, due to influence from the city's Spanish history, although many modern buildings can also be found in the city. Geography San Luis is located in San Luis Bay, a flat area on the south coast of Prasian Island. The Acola River flows through the city, passing through several residential boroughs in the north of the city before reaching the city centre. The river has its mouth near the Puerto Sassari and Villa García districts of the city. Like much of Prasia, San Luis enjoys mild winters and warm summers and snow is rarely recorded. Boroughs San Luis is divided into fourteen boroughs, or barrios in Spanish. 1. El Centro: The centre of San Luis and home to the Plaza de la Republica and Palacio del Congreso 2. Puerto Guillerme: Regenerated port district which is now a vibrant, artistic and multicultural borough. 3. Pasadiso: The modern financial centre of San Luis, is the heart of the new side of the city, along with Puerto Sassari and Puerto Guillerme 4. Cuerabaca: Affluent borough in the centre of the city, location of many museums and embassies. The city's main street, Avenida de las Americas, also passes through this neighborhood, with its popular upmarket shops, restaurants and bars. 5. Villa Elisa: A riverside district, home to the city's university, a lively student population and many trendy shops and restaurants. 6. San Rafael: The west end of the city centre, with many historical buildings and squares, including Plaza de la Independencia. Often considered to be San Luis' cultural heart. 7. Puerto Sassari: The city's main port, and also one of the main cultural centres of the city, with many restaurants, bars and theaters. The borough is also home to the ruins of the Fortaleza de San Luis. 8. San Lorenzo: Residential borough. 9. Esquina: Large residential borough in the eastern suburbs of the city, with a small but significant Italian-speaking population. Generally considered amongst San Luis' wealthiest suburbs. 10. Aravaca: Smallest borough of the city, with colonial architecture and a strong literary heritage 11. Carcelén: Large residential borough in the north of the city. Like neighboring Villa Elisa, the borough is home to a large student population. 12. Villa Mateo: Large residential borough in the north west of the city. 13. Neuquén: Large residential borough in the south west of the city. 14. Villa García: Coastal, mainly residential borough, home to some of the city's largest park spaces and most famous beaches Larger area There are also some rural areas around the outskirts of San Luis, which, while not within the limits of the barrios, are generally considered part of the metropolitan area of San Luis. About half a dozen communities are generally recognised, with populations ranging from a few hundred to around 2,000 each. One notable example is that of the area immediately southwest of the San Luis International Airport, which was a relatively unremarkable agricultural area until the mid-(20)00's, when a community of refugees sprung up here, first mainly from nearby South American countries and later also from the vicinity of Tibet. This area, informally known as Everest Village or Pueblo Everest, or simply Everest, has caused a lot of controversy involving government authorities on various scales and the local populace, with numerous charities and other organisations also getting involved. Nonetheless, the Everest area is generally considered to be amongst the largest of the satellite settlements, with a population estimated to be more than 2,000 as of early 2014 and various organisations have made efforts to improve the infrastructure of the community, even as other groups seek to have the entire community dissolved and the refugees evicted. Funded by charities and donations, the sports association UD Everest was founded in the area in 2008. The most well known component of it is its football club, which currently plays in the Second Division. Another notable commune is River Plate de Prasia, located just north of the city at the confluence lake of the Acola and Marisa Rivers. It is named after the River Plate estuary between Argentina and Uruguay and is an area known for its natural beauty. Second Division club River Plate de San Luis is based here. Tourism and places of interest *Plaza de la Republica: The main square of the city and the location of the Palacio del Congreso. Many other governmental buildings are centred around this area of the city. *Palacio del Congreso: The meeting place of the Congress and a historically renowned building dating from the early 19th century. Located at the Plaza de la Republica in El Centro. *Avenida de las Americas: The city's main street, stretching between Cuerabaca, El Centro and San Rafael. Popular with tourists, and home to many restaurants, shops, bars and galleries. *Plaza de la Independencia: One of the two major squares in the city, the plaza is located in San Rafael and is the site where the Prasian declaration of independence was read in 1823. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city, and is home to many restaurants and shops. *Palacio Echeverria: The residence of the President, located in San Rafael. The palace was built in the early 19th century and is widely considered one of Prasia's most impressive historic buildings *Museo de las Bellas Artes: Prasia's oldest and largest museum, with the most extensive collections in the country. Notable exhibits at the museum include Prasian and international art, both modern and classical, as well as historical artefacts from throughout the country's history. *Parque Alvear: A large city park in San Rafael, with many green spaces and fountains. Palacio Echeverria is located in the park. *Fortaleza de San Luis: Whilst only a few ruins of the 16th century Spanish fort remain, it is still a noted destination for tourists. Government Local government There is one tier of local government in San Luis, a citywide administration. The citywide administration consists of the Ayuntamiento de San Luis, led by the city's mayor, who has the city's executive powers and is elected, like the council, every four years. The incumbent mayor is Feleciano Cubillas. As San Luis is one of the six regions of Prasia, the city's mayor has many of the functions that a Governor would have in other regions. The responsibilities of this citywide administration include healthcare, education, transport and social services. National government As San Luis is the capital of Prasia, the headquarters of all three government branches are located in the city, including the Congress, as well as the individual headquarters of government departments and the residences of the President and Prime Minister. Education San Luis is the centre of higher education within Prasia and there are currently two universities in the city. Universidad de San Luis is the larger of the two and is a large multi-faculty institution offering degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. The university is located in the borough of Villa Elisa. The city's second university is the Universidad de las Artes. This university offers degrees in a wide range of artistic discipline, including fine art, photography, film and fashion. It is located in the affluent Cuerabaca borough. Transportation Rail The city is served by the San Luis Metro, which has two lines and 33 stations spanning the entire city, as well as TAV intercity services to cities including Adahuesca and San Ramon from Alameda Station. Aviation San Luis is served by the San Luis International Airport, located in the western outskirts of the city. The airport is the largest airport in Prasia by passenger numbers, as well as the only airport in the country that handles international flights. Airline services exist to North America, South America and Europe, as well as several smaller domestic routes. It is well connected to the city via the A101 and the San Luis Metro light rail system. Twin cities and towns * Kemburg City, Kemburg Category:City Category:Settlement Category:Region Category:San Luis